This invention relates to an agitator assembly for use in a surface treatment apparatus.
A typical carpet-washing machine, for washing a carpet in the course of being moved over its surface, comprises a body which carries a tank for containing a quantity of a cleaning liquid, normally water containing an appropriate quantity of at least one treatment agent such as a suitable detergent. The machine has a cleaning head, at or in the vicinity of which the cleaning solution is delivered to the carpet, e.g. through one or more delivery nozzles. The cleaning head commonly provides an agitator device, by which the cleaning solution is worked into the pile of the carpet for effective cleaning. An agitating device may comprise a motor-driven rotatable brush bar or agitator roller.
The device also incorporates a source of suction, usually an electric motor driving an impeller fan for creating a suction airflow, to draw dirty cleaning liquid from the pile of the carpet after cleaning. A suction nozzle associated with the cleaning head closely faces the carpet to draw the liquid therefrom and the suction airflow passes through a suitable duct or passageway extending from the suction nozzle to a recovery tank for the dirty liquid. In the recovery tank the suction airflow is caused to follow a tortuous path in which the entrained dirty liquid is caused to separate from the airflow, with the air passing from the recovery tank to the source of suction by way of a suitable exit duct. Finally, the airflow is discharged to the surrounding atmosphere.